Monday, October 18, 2010

Monday Musing: Effective Parenting


It's been some time since I've gotten out a "Monday Musings" post, but as the sun sets tonight I'll use a break from the frantic preparations for our rapidly approaching court trip to Russia to type a quote from one of my favorite parenting books: Gospel-Powered Parenting: How the Gospel Shapes and Transforms Parenting by William Farley.

"In my experience, the most effective parents have a clear grasp of the cross and its implications for daily life. The implications are manifold. They include the fear of God, a marriage that preaches the gospel to its children, deeply ingrained humility, gratitude, joy, firmness coupled with affection, and consistent teaching modeled by parents daily." (pg. 15)
What a great reminder of God's narrow way as I prepare to become the mother of 12! However, Pastor Farley's list of cross-implications challenges me deeply. I can't consisitently live his list. I sin in ways that affect my family way too often to even come close. My only hope is God's willingness to help me as I abide moment-by-moment in Him. My only hope is His grace.
"And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." (2 Corinthians 12:9)
How grateful I am that as I cry out to our prayer-hearing God, He offers sufficient grace, sufficient even for a weak-willed, easily irritated, fearful, selfish woman to parent a DOZEN children with the implications of the cross before her!

~Mrs. Beaver

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